News from Around the AHL/NHL/KHL 2019-20

[PK Cronin]

How many times have we read here posters demanding that the coach do just that?

It happens a bit, more a couple years ago compared to last (winning changes things). The NHL isn't college, it's filled with guys who know how to be professionals already so bag skating them isn't going to make any difference. They'll just leave the first opportunity they get and help spread the word of how awful it is to play for the organization or coach.

 

[crasherino]

A lot. Multiple times in every game day thread where we lose. Fans are constantly demanding that coaches "punish" players. I always find it funny. Keep an eye out for it this season. Especially in games where the team is outplayed.

But that would mean I would have to follow the game threads. Please don't make me do that.

 

[MJF]

 

[PK Cronin]

I'm absolutely shocked it's for that little. Wow.

 

[Merrrlin]

Not cool. Great contract for them. Crazy to see them with no cap space...

 

[The Winter Soldier]

I'm absolutely shocked it's for that little. Wow.

I am surprised at the number. Gardiner is a better player than Laffs fans give credit for. He has his warts, but his positives outweigh his negatives. In Carolina, he will be well insulated on a deeper D corps. It was a excellent signing in my opinion.

 

[notDatsyuk]

I think it was that low because of his back issues.

If the back holds up, it's a steal.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

I think it was that low because of his back issues.

If the back holds up, it's a steal.

That's the thing I don't get? I heard he was healed. Unless we do not know something that is not reported. There is also LTIR if he is sidelined. Not much risk to me. All I know is he is infinitely better than a guy like Ceci at 4.25M. Someone erred here. I think this could be a home run signing for the Canes.

 

[notDatsyuk]

That's the thing I don't get? I heard he was healed. Unless we do not know something that is not reported. There is also LTIR if he is sidelined. Not much risk to me. All I know is he is infinitely better than a guy like Ceci at 4.25M. Someone erred here. I think this could be a home run signing for the Canes.

I'm not sure that back injuries are ever completely healed. As far as what is reported, I've heard 'healed', 'not healing well', 'chronic back problems', and 'won't release medical report'. Unless it's Lou, you don't know what to believe (if it's Lou, you have nothing).

I've always liked Jake, and hope he does well, which seems to be a trait of Leaf castoffs.

 

[Thrasymachus]

As the dust settles on this offseason, I have to be honest. I am deeply disappointed with the islanders' inaction. The team made great strides last season, but we have done little to nothing to capitalize on that success. Instead of making a big trade or signing any prominent free agents, we essentially just replaced Lehner with Varlamov and Filpula with Brassard. Meanwhile our rivals in the metropolitan have significantly improved - the rangers, flyers, hurricanes, and devils in particular.

I love Trotz, but I am, at this juncture, very skeptical of Lou as a GM. I question his methods, and in particular, I wonder whether he knows what it takes to win in the modern NHL.

Unfortunately based on our roster and our division, I expect the islanders to take a step back this season and miss the playoffs. Even worse, I expect them to be mediocre - not good enough to make the playoffs, but not bad enough for a top draft posistion, something which, for the most part, seems to be a necessary factor in order for a team to find eventual success (e.g. Pittsburgh, Chicago).

Mediocrity is a recipe for franchise purgatory. We have some good players, but only one star, and it is not enough in today's NHL to win with just a single cornerstone. We desperately need more young talented forwards, and unfortunately, it seems as though we are going to be trapped in the 10s to 20s posistion in the draft for the foreseeable future, and therefore, denied the chance to draft a talented franchise player. Meanwhile, more Kaako's and Hughes' are trickling into the NHL, playing for other teams.

I also hated our draft and, based on conversations with New Jersey fans, I dont think we will be having many good ones in the future. So although yes, players like Barzal occasionally drop to the mid teens, I dont anticipate us drafting consensus pick fallers... I expect us to draft more reaches like Holmstrom (who is, by the way, already injured).

 

[LeapOnOver]

As the dust settles on this offseason, I have to be honest. I am deeply disappointed with the islanders' inaction. The team made great strides last season, but we have done little to nothing to capitalize on that success. Instead of making a big trade or signing any prominent free agents, we essentially just replaced Lehner with Varlamov and Filpula with Brassard. Meanwhile our rivals in the metropolitan have significantly improved - the rangers, flyers, hurricanes, and devils in particular.

I love Trotz, but I am, at this juncture, very skeptical of Lou as a GM. I question his methods, and in particular, I wonder whether he knows what it takes to win in the modern NHL.

Unfortunately based on our roster and our division, I expect the islanders to take a step back this season and miss the playoffs. Even worse, I expect them to be mediocre - not good enough to make the playoffs, but not bad enough for a top draft posistion, something which, for the most part, seems to be a necessary factor in order for a team to find eventual success (e.g. Pittsburgh, Chicago).

Mediocrity is a recipe for franchise purgatory. We have some good players, but only one star, and it is not enough in today's NHL to win with just a single cornerstone. We desperately need more young talented forwards, and unfortunately, it seems as though we are going to be trapped in the 10s to 20s posistion in the draft for the foreseeable future, and therefore, denied the chance to draft a talented franchise player. Meanwhile, more Kaako's and Hughes' are trickling into the NHL, playing for other teams.

I also hated our draft and, based on conversations with New Jersey fans, I dont think we will be having many good ones in the future. So although yes, players like Barzal occasionally drop to the mid teens, I dont anticipate us drafting consensus pick fallers... I expect us to draft more reaches like Holmstrom (who is, by the way, already injured).

Saving this for a cut and paste in May....

 

[The Real JT]

As the dust settles on this offseason, I have to be honest. I am deeply disappointed with the islanders' inaction. The team made great strides last season, but we have done little to nothing to capitalize on that success. Instead of making a big trade or signing any prominent free agents, we essentially just replaced Lehner with Varlamov and Filpula with Brassard. Meanwhile our rivals in the metropolitan have significantly improved - the rangers, flyers, hurricanes, and devils in particular.

I love Trotz, but I am, at this juncture, very skeptical of Lou as a GM. I question his methods, and in particular, I wonder whether he knows what it takes to win in the modern NHL.

Unfortunately based on our roster and our division, I expect the islanders to take a step back this season and miss the playoffs. Even worse, I expect them to be mediocre - not good enough to make the playoffs, but not bad enough for a top draft posistion, something which, for the most part, seems to be a necessary factor in order for a team to find eventual success (e.g. Pittsburgh, Chicago).

Mediocrity is a recipe for franchise purgatory. We have some good players, but only one star, and it is not enough in today's NHL to win with just a single cornerstone. We desperately need more young talented forwards, and unfortunately, it seems as though we are going to be trapped in the 10s to 20s posistion in the draft for the foreseeable future, and therefore, denied the chance to draft a talented franchise player. Meanwhile, more Kaako's and Hughes' are trickling into the NHL, playing for other teams.

I also hated our draft and, based on conversations with New Jersey fans, I dont think we will be having many good ones in the future. So although yes, players like Barzal occasionally drop to the mid teens, I dont anticipate us drafting consensus pick fallers... I expect us to draft more reaches like Holmstrom (who is, by the way, already injured).

I agree with most but not all of your comments.

I'm willing to look at it as a glass half full situation and trust LL on this. I'm cautiously optimistic about the upcoming season. I guess I have to be.

Unless you're living in a cave, it's clear that many teams behind the Isles have upgraded their talent substantially. The Isles have enough young talent near NHL ready to allow a quiet offseason in the hopes of opening up opportunities for the prospects.

With that being said, they need to change their approach beginning with this season's TDL. If we're in it, trade futures for talent. If not, shed some veteran salary for younger talent and/or picks.

 

[crasherino]

Werenski signed to a 3 year/$15m deal. Seems like a good deal all around. Very reasonable for now but he'll get to go after his payday in 3 years.

I wonder how that affects Pulock next year.

 

[Thrasymachus]

Saving this for a cut and paste in May....

Dude , dont get me wrong, I really hope that I am incorrect and that the isles have another great season.

 

[LeapOnOver]

Dude , dont get me wrong, I really hope that I am incorrect and that the isles have another great season.

I don't get you wrong at all. I know you want success. I'm just saying i'll cut and paste because I posted something around this time last year very similar to what you just said, and I was dead wrong. That's why I'm actually ignoring any expectations this season and just coming in with the "we'll see what happens" attitude.

 

[Merrrlin]

I don't get you wrong at all. I know you want success. I'm just saying i'll cut and paste because I posted something around this time last year very similar to what you just said, and I was dead wrong. That's why I'm actually ignoring any expectations this season and just coming in with the "we'll see what happens" attitude.

Same. I get a bit of a bad feeling, to be honest. Last year felt like a bit of a miracle run, and I don't see it repeating unless some young blood can infuse new energy.

Trotz deserves more respect but I am feeling pessimistic with our main competition making big improvements.

 

[IslandersFan17]

I don't get you wrong at all. I know you want success. I'm just saying i'll cut and paste because I posted something around this time last year very similar to what you just said, and I was dead wrong. That's why I'm actually ignoring any expectations this season and just coming in with the "we'll see what happens" attitude.

Very different circumstances this year than last year.

 

[13th Floor]

Very different circumstances this year than last year.

Yea. My biggest fear is that we don't have a chip on our shoulder this year. Anyone see how the Raiders played last night? I think the fans and players had a lot to prove and were amped up. We saw that for an entire year.

 

[PK Cronin]

Yea. My biggest fear is that we don't have a chip on our shoulder this year. Anyone see how the Raiders played last night? I think the fans and players had a lot to prove and were amped up. We saw that for an entire year.

I think that type of thing works in the beginning of the season and then come playoff time or for individual games, but doesn't run the course of an entire year. What I think it does is it helps establish a way in which the team wants to play and if they have success early on they'll continue to build off those habits. When the team played Toronto and dominated the entire game start to finish, I think that was a combination of having a chip on their shoulder and being committed to playing the proper way.

I'm hopeful that their commitment to the game plan last season carries over to this. It's the same team and I think they'll want to do the same things as last season because that's the most dominant and successful the team has ever been for this group of players. They should want more of that and I trust Trotz will be able to get them to focus on it.

 

[13th Floor]

I think that type of thing works in the beginning of the season and then come playoff time or for individual games, but doesn't run the course of an entire year. What I think it does is it helps establish a way in which the team wants to play and if they have success early on they'll continue to build off those habits. When the team played Toronto and dominated the entire game start to finish, I think that was a combination of having a chip on their shoulder and being committed to playing the proper way.

I'm hopeful that their commitment to the game plan last season carries over to this. It's the same team and I think they'll want to do the same things as last season because that's the most dominant and successful the team has ever been for this group of players. They should want more of that and I trust Trotz will be able to get them to focus on it.

I think and hope you are right. It might have been just perfect timing to get Trotz last year when we had the chip on our shoulder. It set the foundation that we were ready to buy into something new and turn the page, and that's all Trotz needed to steer the ship in the right direction. Meaning, if we had Capuano or Weight, maybe we see the same type of cohesion because of being snubbed. And maybe if Trotz came in and Tavares stayed, we wouldn't have been in as much of a position to be molded.

And so maybe this year we hit the ground running again because the foundation was so firmly set.

But, there is still a pretty serious lack of talent on this team IMO. We were also pretty healthy last year. If I were a betting man, I think that we are equally stingy as last year and equally hard to play against, but I see a lot more close games going against us. I expect us to be in the thick of the playoff hunt but not in the thick of winning the division.

 

[PK Cronin]

I think and hope you are right. It might have been just perfect timing to get Trotz last year when we had the chip on our shoulder. It set the foundation that we were ready to buy into something new and turn the page, and that's all Trotz needed to steer the ship in the right direction. Meaning, if we had Capuano or Weight, maybe we see the same type of cohesion because of being snubbed. And maybe if Trotz came in and Tavares stayed, we wouldn't have been in as much of a position to be molded.

And so maybe this year we hit the ground running again because the foundation was so firmly set.

But, there is still a pretty serious lack of talent on this team IMO. We were also pretty healthy last year. If I were a betting man, I think that we are equally stingy as last year and equally hard to play against, but I see a lot more close games going against us. I expect us to be in the thick of the playoff hunt but not in the thick of winning the division.

The health factor is definitely a concern for me too. There is lots of depth in certain positions (depending what happens with waivers and whatnot) but others are especially weak. I think the team lacks offensive talent and they know that, that's part of the reason why I think they'll be committed to the identity they established last season. We'll see though, they could just as easily regress worse than what you or I are thinking.

 

[13th Floor]

The health factor is definitely a concern for me too. There is lots of depth in certain positions (depending what happens with waivers and whatnot) but others are especially weak. I think the team lacks offensive talent and they know that, that's part of the reason why I think they'll be committed to the identity they established last season. We'll see though, they could just as easily regress worse than what you or I are thinking.

Yup true. Yea, if we get hurt at Center... yuck.

It's funny because I think most teams in the current era are terrified of losing their goalie or a couple defensemen because it's typical to be weak there, but we are actually strong there. Losing either goalie for the season of course would hurt us, but for a short stint either goalie could deal with the load and we have good depth on D.

But if we lose anyone that can create any offense at least somewhat on their own, which is really only Barzal, Nelson, Eberle, and Bailey, I think we are in trouble. We need lots of chemistry, scoring by committee (4th line, Brassard and what I'm assuming will be a revolving door of wingers around him, etc.), and stingy defense.

Adding any offensive player that wasn't on the team last year would be so huge.

 

[LeapOnOver]

Very different circumstances this year than last year.

That's like saying today is Saturday and yesterday was Friday. Every year there are "very different circumstances". A lot changes in a year. I don't really need a meme as a reply.

Time will tell if the good changes (rookies a year older and wiser) (system more foolproof) (vets hungry to do better) (new PP coach) will outweigh the changes (new, older starting goaltender) (metro teams getting better) (no improvement to the offense). Games aren't won on paper, and the whole point was I'm not going to play Nostradamus this season. I'm going to just wait and see. Feel free to guess all you want though.

 

[CupHolders]

That's like saying today is Saturday and yesterday was Friday. Every year there are "very different circumstances". A lot changes in a year. I don't really need a meme as a reply.

Time will tell if the good changes (rookies a year older and wiser) (system more foolproof) (vets hungry to do better) (new PP coach) will outweigh the changes (new, older starting goaltender) (metro teams getting better) (no improvement to the offense). Games aren't won on paper, and the whole point was I'm not going to play Nostradamus this season. I'm going to just wait and see. Feel free to guess all you want though.

I carry the same approach going into a season. Many years of NYR failed free-agent all-star teams (Lindros, Bure et. al). But especially the year that Colorado Avalanche signed Paul Karyia AND Teamu Selanne, only to be bounced in the second round. Has taught me as much.

 

[Chapin Landvogt]

We've got the CCC factor like no-one else in the East: culture, coaching, continuity

If anything will set us apart from the competition, it's that.